P R O V E R B S

CHAP. XXXI.

This chapter is added to Solomon's proverbs, some
think because it is of the same author, supposing king Lemuel to be
king Solomon; others only because it is of the same nature, though
left in writing by another author, called Lemuel; however it be, it
is a prophecy, and therefore given by inspiration and direction of
God, which Lemuel was under in the writing of it, and putting it
into this form, as his mother was in dictating to him the matter of
it. Here is, I. An exhortation to Lemuel, a young prince, to take
heed of the sins he would be tempted to and to do the duties of the
place he was called to, ver.
1-9. II. The description of a virtuous woman, especially
in the relation of a wife and the mistress of a family, which
Lemuel's mother drew up, not as an encomium of herself, though, no
doubt, it was her own true picture, but either as an instruction to
her daughters, as the foregoing verses were to her son, or as a
direction to her son in the choice of a wife; she must be chaste
and modest, diligent and frugal, dutiful to her husband, careful of
her family, discreet in her discourse, and in the education of her
children, and, above all, conscientious in her duty to God: such a
one as this, if he can find her, will make him happy, ver. 10-31.

Maternal Counsels to King
Lemuel.

1 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that
his mother taught him. 2 What, my son? and what, the son of
my womb? and what, the son of my vows? 3 Give not thy
strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for
kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: 5 Lest
they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of
the afflicted. 6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to
perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. 7 Let
him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
8 Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as
are appointed to destruction. 9 Open thy mouth, judge
righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

Most interpreters are of opinion that
Lemuel is Solomon; the name signifies one that is for God,
or devoted to God; and so it agrees well enough with that
honourable name which, by divine appointment, was given to Solomon
( 2 Sam. xii. 25),
Jedediah—beloved of the Lord. Lemuel is supposed to be a
pretty, fond, endearing name, by which his mother used to call him;
and so much did he value himself upon the interest he had in his
mother's affections that he was not ashamed to call himself by it.
One would the rather incline to think it is Solomon that here tells
us what his mother taught him because he tells us (ch. iv. 4) what his father
taught him. But some think (and the conjecture is not improbable)
that Lemuel was a prince of some neighbouring country, whose mother
was a daughter of Israel, perhaps of the house of David, and taught
him these good lessons. Note, 1. It is the duty of mothers, as well
as fathers, to teach their children what is good, that they may do
it, and what is evil, that they may avoid it; when they are young
and tender they are most under the mother's eye, and she has then
an opportunity of moulding and fashioning their minds well, which
she ought not to let slip. 2. Even kings must be catechised; the
greatest of men is less than the least of the ordinances of God. 3.
Those that have grown up to maturity should often call to mind, and
make mention of, the good instructions they received when they were
children, for their own admonition, the edification of others, and
the honour of those who were the guides of their youth.

Now, in this mother's (this queen mother's)
catechism, observe,

I. Her expostulation with the young prince,
by which she lays hold of him, claims an interest in him, and
awakens his attention to what she is about to say (v. 2): "What! my son?
What shall I say to thee?" She speaks as one considering what
advice to give him, and choosing out words to reason with him; so
full of concern is she for his welfare! Or, What is it that thou
doest? It seems to be a chiding question. She observed, when he
was young, that he was too much inclined to women and wine, and
therefore she found it necessary to take him to task and deal
roundly with him. "What! my son? Is this the course of life
thou intendest to lead? Have I taught thee no better than thus? I
must reprove thee, and reprove thee sharply, and thou must take it
well, for," 1. "Thou art descended from me; thou art the son of
my womb, and therefore what I say comes from the authority and
affection of a parent and cannot be suspected to come from any
ill-will. Thou art a piece of myself. I bore thee with sorrow, and
I expect no other return for all the pains I have taken with thee,
and undergone for thee, than this, Be wise and good, and then I am
well paid." 2. "Thou art devoted to my God; thou art the son of
my vows, the son I prayed to God to give me and promised to
give back to God, and did so" (thus Samuel was the son of Hannah's
vows); "Thou art the son I have often prayed to God to give his
grace to (Ps. lxxii. 1), and
shall a child of so many prayers miscarry? And shall all my hopes
concerning thee be disappointed?" Our children that by baptism are
dedicated to God, for whom and in whose name we covenanted with
God, may well be called the children of our vows; and, as
this may be made a good plea with God in our prayers for them, so
it may be made a good plea with them in the instructions we give
them; we may tell them they are baptized, are the children of
our vows, and it is at their peril if they break those bonds in
sunder which in their infancy they were solemnly brought under.

II. The caution she gives him against those
two destroying sins of uncleanness and drunkenness,
which, if he allowed himself in them, would certainly be his ruin.
1. Against uncleanness (v.
3): Give not thy strength unto women, unto
strange women. He must not be soft and effeminate, nor spend that
time in a vain conversation with the ladies which should be spent
in getting knowledge and despatching business, nor employ that wit
(which is the strength of the soul) in courting and complimenting
them which he should employ about the affairs of his government.
"Especially shun all adultery, fornication, and lasciviousness,
which waste the strength of the body, and bring into it dangerous
diseases. Give not thy ways, thy affections, thy
conversation, to that which destroys kings, which has
destroyed many, which gave such a shock to the kingdom even of
David himself, in the matter of Uriah. Let the sufferings of others
be thy warnings." It lessens the honour of kings and makes them
mean. Are those fit to govern others that are themselves slaves to
their own lusts? It makes them unfit for business, and fills their
court with the basest and worst of animals. Kings lie exposed to
temptations of this kind, having wherewith both to please the
humours and to bear the charges of the sin, and therefore they
ought to double their guard; and, if they would preserve their
people from the unclean spirit, they must themselves be patterns of
purity. Meaner people may also apply it to themselves. Let none
give their strength to that which destroys souls. 2. Against
drunkenness, v. 4,
5. He must not drink wine or strong drink
to excess; he must never sit to drink, as they used to do in the
day of their king, when the princes made him sick with
bottles of wine, Hos. vii.
7. Whatever temptation he might be in from the
excellency of the wine, or the charms of the company, he must deny
himself, and be strictly sober, considering, (1.) The indecency of
drunkenness in a king. However some may call it a fashionable
accomplishment and entertainment, it is not for kings, O Lemuel!
it is not for kings, to allow themselves that liberty; it is a
disparagement to their dignity, and profanes their crown, by
confusing the head that wears it; that which for the time unmans
them does for the time unking them. Shall we say, They are
gods? No, they are worse than the beasts that perish.
All Christians are made to our God kings and priests, and
must apply this to themselves. It is not for Christians,
it is not for Christians, to drink to excess; they
debase themselves if they do; it ill becomes the heirs of the
kingdom and the spiritual priests, Lev.
x. 9. (2.) The ill consequences of it (v. 5): Lest they drink
away their understandings and memories, drink and forget the
law by which they are to govern; and so, instead of doing good
with their power, do hurt with it, and pervert or alter
the judgment of all the sons of affliction, and, when they
should right them, wrong them, and add to their affliction. It is a
sad complaint which is made of the priests and prophets (Isa. xxviii. 7), that they have
erred through wine, and through strong drink they are out of the
way; and the effect is as bad in kings, who when they are
drunk, or intoxicated with the love of wine, cannot but stumble in
judgment. Judges must have clear heads, which those cannot have who
so often make themselves giddy, and incapacitate themselves to
judge of the most common things.

III. The counsel she gives him to do good.
1. He must do good with his wealth. Great men must not think that
they have their abundance only that out of it they may made
provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts of it, and may the
more freely indulge their own genius; no, but that with it they may
relieve such as are in distress, v. 6, 7. "Thou hast wine or strong
drink at command; instead of doing thyself hurt with it, do others
good with it; let those have it that need it." Those that have
wherewithal must not only give bread to the hungry and water to the
thirsty, but they must give strong drink to him that is ready to
perish through sickness or pain and wine to those that
are melancholy and of heavy heart; for it was appointed to
cheer and revive the spirits, and make glad the heart (as it
does where there is need of it), not to burden and oppress the
spirits, as it does where there is no need of it. We must deny
ourselves in the gratifications of sense, that we may have to spare
for the relief of the miseries of others, and be glad to see our
superfluities and dainties better bestowed upon those whom they
will be a real kindness to than upon ourselves whom they will be a
real injury to. Let those that are ready to perish drink
soberly, and it will be a means so to revive their drooping spirits
that they will forget their poverty for the time and
remember their misery no more, and so they will be the better
able to bear it. The Jews say that upon this was grounded the
practice of giving a stupifying drink to condemned prisoners when
they were going to execution, as they did to our Saviour. But the
scope of the place is to show that wine is a cordial, and therefore
to be used for want and not for wantonness, by those only that need
cordials, as Timothy, who is advised to drink a little wine,
only for his stomach's sake and his often infirmities,1 Tim. v. 23. 2. He must do
good with his power, his knowledge, and interest, must administer
justice with care, courage, and compassion, v. 8, 9. (1.) He must himself take
cognizance of the causes his subjects have depending in his courts,
and inspect what his judges and officers do, that he may support
those that do their duty, and lay those aside that neglect it or
are partial. (2.) He must, in all matters that come before him,
judge righteously, and, without fear of the face of man,
boldly pass sentence according to equity: Open thy mouth,
which denotes the liberty of speech that princes and judges ought
to use in passing sentence. Some observe that only wise men
open their mouths, for fools have their mouths always open,
are full of words. (3.) He must especially look upon himself as
obliged to be the patron of oppressed innocency. The inferior
magistrates perhaps had not zeal and tenderness enough to plead
the cause of the poor and needy; therefore the king himself
must interpose, and appear as an advocate, [1.] For those that were
unjustly charged with capital crimes, as Naboth was, that were
appointed to destruction, to gratify the malice either of a
particular person or of a party. It is a case which it well befits
a king to appear in, for the preserving of innocent blood. [2.] For
those that had actions unjustly brought against them, to defraud
them of their right, because they were poor and needy, and
unable to defend it, not having wherewithal to fee counsel; in such
a case also kings must be advocates for the poor. Especially, [3.]
For those that were dumb, and knew not how to speak for
themselves, either through weakness or fear, or being over-talked
by the prosecutor or over-awed by the court. It is generous to
speak for those that cannot speak for themselves, that are absent,
or have not words at command, or are timorous. Our law appoints the
judge to be of counsel for the prisoner.

The Virtuous Woman.

10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price
is far above rubies. 11 The heart of her husband doth
safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with
her hands. 14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth
her food from afar. 15 She riseth also while it is yet
night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her
maidens. 16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the
fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. 17 She girdeth
her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. 18 She
perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth
not out by night. 19 She layeth her hands to the spindle,
and her hands hold the distaff. 20 She stretcheth out her
hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all
her household are clothed with scarlet. 22 She maketh
herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and
purple. 23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he
sitteth among the elders of the land. 24 She maketh fine
linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the
merchant. 25 Strength and honour are her clothing;
and she shall rejoice in time to come. 26 She openeth her
mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth
not the bread of idleness. 28 Her children arise up, and
call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest
them all. 30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty
is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. 31 Give
her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in
the gates.

This description of the virtuous
woman is designed to show what wives the women should make and
what wives the men should choose; it consists of twenty-two verses,
each beginning with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet in order, as
some of the Psalms, which makes some think it was no part of
the lesson which Lemuel's mother taught him, but a poem by itself,
written by some other hand, and perhaps had been commonly repeated
among the pious Jews, for the ease of which it was made
alphabetical. We have the abridgment of it in the New Testament
(1 Tim. ii. 9, 10; 1 Pet.
iii. 1-6), where the duty prescribed to wives agrees
with this description of a good wife; and with good reason is so
much stress laid upon it, since it contributes as much as any one
thing to the keeping up of religion in families, and the entail of
it upon posterity, that the mothers be wise and good; and of what
consequence it is to the wealth and outward prosperity of a house
every one is sensible. He that will thrive must ask his wife leave.
Here is,

I. A general enquiry after such a one
(v. 10), where
observe, 1. The person enquired after, and that is a virtuous
woman—a woman of strength (so the word is), though the weaker
vessel, yet made strong by wisdom and grace, and the fear of God:
it is the same word that is used in the character of good judges
(Exod. xviii. 21), that
they are able men, men qualified for the business to which
they are called, men of truth, fearing God. So it follows,
A virtuous woman is a woman of spirit, who has the command
of her own spirit and knows how to manage other people's, one that
is pious and industrious, and a help meet for a man. In opposition
to this strength, we read of the weakness of the heart of an
imperious whorish woman, Ezek.
xvi. 30. A virtuous woman is a woman of
resolution, who, having espoused good principles, is firm and
steady to them, and will not be frightened with winds and clouds
from any part of her duty. 2. The difficulty of meeting with such a
one: Who can find her? This intimates that good women are
very scarce, and many that seem to be so do not prove so; he that
thought he had found a virtuous woman was deceived;
Behold, it was Leah, and not the Rachel he expected. But he
that designs to marry ought to seek diligently for such a one, to
have this principally in his eye, in all his enquiries, and to take
heed that he be not biassed by beauty or gaiety, wealth or
parentage, dressing well or dancing well; for all these may be and
yet the woman not be virtuous, and there is many a woman truly
virtuous who yet is not recommended by these advantages. 3. The
unspeakable worth of such a one, and the value which he that has
such a wife ought to put upon her, showing it by his thankfulness
to God and his kindness and respect to her, whom he must never
think he can do too much for. Her price is far above rubies,
and all the rich ornaments with which vain women adorn themselves.
The more rare such good wives are the more they are to be
valued.

II. A particular description of her and of
her excellent qualifications.

1. She is very industrious to recommend
herself to her husband's esteem and affection. Those that are good
really will be good relatively. A good woman, if she be brought
into the marriage state, will be a good wife, and make it her
business to please her husband, 1 Cor. vii. 34. Though she is a woman of
spirit herself, yet her desire is to her husband, to know
his mind, that she may accommodate herself to it, and she is
willing that he should rule over her. (1.) She conducts
herself so that he may repose an entire confidence in her. He
trusts in her chastity, which she never gave him the least occasion
to suspect or to entertain any jealousy of; she is not morose and
reserved, but modest and grave, and has all the marks of virtue in
her countenance and behaviour; her husband knows it, and therefore
his heart doth safely trust in her; he is easy, and makes
her so. He trusts in her conduct, that she will speak in all
companies, and act in all affairs, with prudence and discretion, so
as not to occasion him either damage or reproach. He trusts in her
fidelity to his interests, and that she will never betray his
counsels nor have any interest separate from that of his family.
When he goes abroad, to attend the concerns of the public, he can
confide in her to order all his affairs at home, as well as if he
himself were there. She is a good wife that is fit to be trusted,
and he is a good husband that will leave it to such a wife to
manage for him. (2.) She contributes so much to his content and
satisfaction that he shall have no need of spoil; he needs
not be griping and scraping abroad, as those must be whose wives
are proud and wasteful at home. She manages his affairs so that he
is always before-hand, has such plenty of his own that he is in no
temptation to prey upon his neighbours. He thinks himself so happy
in her that he envies not those who have most of the wealth of this
world; he needs it not, he has enough, having such a wife. Happy
the couple that have such a satisfaction as this in each other!
(3.) She makes it her constant business to do him good, and
is afraid of doing any thing, even through inadvertency, that may
turn to his prejudice, v.
12. She shows her love to him, not by a foolish
fondness, but by prudent endearments, accommodating herself to his
temper, and not crossing him, giving him good words, and not bad
ones, no, not when he is out of humour, studying to make him easy,
to provide what is fit for him both in health and sickness, and
attending him with diligence and tenderness when any thing ails
him; nor would she, no, not for the world, wilfully do any thing
that might be a damage to his person, family, estate, or
reputation. And this is her care all the days of her life;
not at first only, or now and then, when she is in a good humour,
but perpetually; and she is not weary of the good offices she does
him: She does him good, not only all the days of his
life, but of her own too; if she survive him, still she is
doing him good in her care of his children, his estate, and good
name, and all the concerns he left behind him. We read of kindness
shown, not only to the living, but to the dead,Ruth ii. 20. (4.) She adds
to his reputation in the world (v. 23): Her husband is known in the
gates, known to have a good wife. By his wise counsels, and
prudent management of affairs, it appears that he has a discreet
companion in his bosom, by conversation with whom he improves
himself. By his cheerful countenance and pleasant humour it appears
that he has an agreeable wife at home; for many that have not have
their tempers strangely soured by it. Nay, by his appearing clean
and neat in his dress, every thing about him decent and handsome,
yet not gaudy, one may know he has a good wife at home, that takes
care of his clothes.

2. She is one that takes pains in the duty
of her place and takes pleasure in it. This part of her character
is much enlarged upon here. (1.) She hates to sit still and do
nothing: She eats not the bread of idleness, v. 27. Though she needs not
work for her bread (she has an estate to live upon), yet she will
not eat it in idleness, because she knows that we were none of us
sent into this world to be idle, that when we have nothing to do
the devil will soon find us something to do, and that it is not fit
that those who will not labour should eat. Some eat
and drink because they can find themselves nothing else to do, and
needless visits must be received with fashionable entertainments;
these are eating the bread of idleness, which she has no relish
for, for she neither gives nor receives idle visits nor idle talk.
(2.) She is careful to fill up time, that none of that be lost.
When day-light is done, she does not then think it time to lay by
her work, as those are forced to do whose business lies abroad in
the fields (Ps. civ. 23),
but her business lying within-doors, and her work worth
candle-light, with that she lengthens out the day; and her
candle goes not out by night, v. 18. It is a mercy to have
candle-light to supply the want of day-light, and a duty, having
that advantage, to improve it. We say of an elaborate piece, It
smells of the lamp. (3.) She rises early, while it is yet
night (v. 15),
to give her servants their breakfast, that they may be ready to go
cheerfully about their work as soon as the day breaks. She is none
of those who sit up playing at cards, or dancing, till midnight,
till morning, and then lie in bed till noon. No; the virtuous
woman loves her business better than her ease or her pleasure,
is in care to be found in the way of her duty every hour of the
day, and has more true satisfaction in having given meat to her
household betimes in the morning than those can have in the
money they have won, much more in what they have lost, who sat up
all night at play. Those that have a family to take care of should
not love their bed too well in a morning. (4.) She applies herself
to the business that is proper for her. It is not in a scholar's
business, or statesman's business, or husbandman's business, that
she employs herself, but in women's business: She seeks wool and
flax, where she may have the best of each at the best hand, and
cheapest; she has a stock of both by her, and every thing that is
necessary to the carrying on both of the woollen and the linen
manufacture (v. 13),
and with this she does not only set the poor on work, which is a
very good office, but does herself work, and work willingly,
with her hands; she works with the counsel or delight of her
hands (so the word is); she goes about it cheerfully and
dexterously, lays not only her hand, but her mind to it, and goes
on in it without weariness in well-doing. She lays her own
hands to the spindle, or spinning-wheel, and her hands
hold the distaff (v.
19), and she does not reckon it either an abridgment of
her liberty or a disparagement to her dignity, or at all
inconsistent with her repose. The spindle and the distaff are here
mentioned as her honour, while the ornaments of the daughters of
Zion are reckoned up to their reproach, Isa. ii. 18, &c. (5.) She does what she
does with all her might, and does not trifle in it (v. 17); She girds her loins
with strength and strengthens her arms; she does not employ
herself in sitting work only, or in that which is only the nice
performance of the fingers (there are works that are scarcely one
remove from doing nothing); but, if there be occasion, she will go
through with work that requires all the strength she has, which she
will use as one that knows it is the way to have more.

3. She is one that makes what she does to
turn to a good account, by her prudent management of it. She does
not toil all night and catch nothing; no, she herself perceives
that her merchandise is good (v. 18); she is sensible that in
all her labour there is profit, and that encourages her
to go on in it. She perceives that she can make things herself
better and cheaper than she can buy them; she finds by observation
what branch of her employment brings in the best returns, and to
that she applies herself most closely. (1.) She brings in
provisions of all things necessary and convenient for her family,
v. 14. No
merchants' ships, no, not Solomon's navy, ever made a more
advantageous return than her employments do. Do they bring in
foreign commodities with the effects they export? So does she with
the fruit of her labours. What her own ground does not produce she
can furnish herself with, if she have occasion for it, by
exchanging her own goods for it; and so she brings her food from
afar. Not that she values things the more for their being
far-fetched, but, if they be ever so far off, if she must have them
she knows how to come by them. (2.) She purchases lands, and
enlarges the demesne of the family (v. 16): She considers a field, and
buys it. She considers what an advantage it will be to the
family and what a good account it will turn to, and therefore she
buys it; or, rather, though she have ever so much mind to it she
will not buy it till she has first considered it, whether it be
worth her money, whether she can afford to take so much money out
of her stock as must go to purchase it, whether the title be good,
whether the ground will answer the character given of it, and
whether she has money at command to pay for it. Many have undone
themselves by buying without considering; but those who would make
advantageous purchases must consider, and then buy. She also
plants a vineyard, but it is with the fruit of her
hands; she does not take up money, or run into debt, to do it,
but she does it with what she can spare out of the gains of her own
housewifery. Men should not lay out any thing upon superfluities,
till, by the blessing of God upon their industry, they have got
before-hand, and can afford it; and then the fruit of the
vineyard is likely to be doubly sweet, when it is the fruit of
honest industry. (3.) She furnishes her house well and has good
clothing for herself and her family (v. 22): She makes herself coverings
of tapestry to hang her rooms, and she may be allowed to use
them when they are of her own making. Her own
clothing is rich and fine: it is silk and purple,
according to her place and rank. Though she is not so vain as to
spend much time in dressing herself, nor makes the putting on of
apparel her adorning, nor values herself upon it, yet she has rich
clothes and puts them on well. The senator's robes which her
husband wears are of her own spinning, and they look better and
wear better than any that are bought. She also gets good warm
clothing for her children, and her servants' liveries. She needs
not fear the cold of the most pinching winter, for she and her
family are well provided with clothes, sufficient to keep out cold,
which is the end chiefly to be aimed at in clothing: All her
household are clothed in scarlet, strong cloth and fit for
winter, and yet rich and making a good appearance. They are all
double clothed (so some read it), have change of raiment, a
winter suit and a summer suit. (4.) She trades abroad. She makes
more than she and her household have occasion for; and therefore,
when she has sufficiently stocked her family, she sells fine
linen and girdles to the merchants (v. 24), who carry them to Tyre, the
mart of the nations, or some other trading city. Those families are
likely to thrive that sell more than they buy; as it is well with
the kingdom when abundance of its home manufactures are exported.
It is no disgrace to those of the best quality to sell what they
can spare, nor to deal in trade and send ventures by sea. (5.) She
lays up for hereafter: She shall rejoice in time to come,
having laid in a good stock for her family, and having good
portions for her children. Those that take pains when they are in
their prime will have the pleasure and joy of it when they are old,
both in reflecting upon it and in reaping the benefit of it.

4. She takes care of her family and all the
affairs of it, gives meat to her household (v. 15), to every one his
portion of meat in due season, so that none of her servants
have reason to complain of being kept short or faring hard. She
gives also a portion (an allotment of work, as well as meat)
to her maidens; they shall all of them know their business
and have their task. She looks well to the ways of her
household (v.
27); she inspects the manners of all her servants, that
she may check what is amiss among them, and oblige them all to
behave properly and do their duty to God and one another, as well
as to her; as Job, who put away iniquity far from his tabernacle,
and David, who would suffer no wicked thing in his house. She does
not intermeddle in the concerns of other people's houses; she
thinks it enough for her to look well to her own.

5. She is charitable to the poor,v. 20. She is as
intent upon giving as she is upon getting; she often serves the
poor with her own hand, and she does if freely, cheerfully, and
very liberally, with an out-stretched hand. Nor does she relieve
her poor neighbours only, and those that are nigh at hand, but
she reaches forth her hands to the needy that are at a
distance, seeking opportunities to do good and to
communicate, which is as good housewifery as any thing she
does.

6. She is discreet and obliging in all her
discourse, not talkative, censorious, nor peevish, as some are,
that know how to take pains; no, she opens her mouth with
wisdom; when she does speak, it is with a great deal of
prudence and very much to the purpose; you may perceive by every
word she says how much she governs herself by the rules of wisdom.
She not only takes prudent measures herself, but gives prudent
advice to others; and this not as assuming the authority of a
dictator, but with the affection of a friend and an obliging air:
In her tongue is the law of kindness; all she says is under
the government of that law. The law of love and kindness is written
in the heart, but it shows itself in the tongue; if we are
kindly affectioned one to another, it will appear by
affectionate expression. It is called a law of kindness,
because it gives law to others, to all she converses with. Her
wisdom and kindness together put a commanding power into all she
says; they command respect, they command compliance. How forcible
are right words! In her tongue is the law of grace, or
mercy (so some read it), understanding it of the word and
law of God, which she delights to talk of among her children and
servants. She is full of pious religious discourse, and manages it
prudently, which shows how full her heart is of another world even
when her hands are most busy about this world.

7. That which completes and crowns her
character is that she fears the Lord, v. 30. With all those good qualities
she lacks not that one thing needful; she is truly pious,
and, in all she does, is guided and governed by principles of
conscience and a regard to God; this is that which is here
preferred far before beauty; that is vain and
deceitful; all that are wise and good account it so, and value
neither themselves nor others on it. Beauty recommends none to God,
nor is it any certain indication of wisdom and goodness, but it has
deceived many a man who has made his choice of a wife by it. There
may be an impure deformed soul lodged in a comely and beautiful
body; nay, many have been exposed by their beauty to such
temptations as have been the ruin of their virtue, their honour,
and their precious souls. It is a fading thing at the best, and
therefore vain and deceitful. A fit of sickness will
stain and sully it in a little time; a thousand accidents may blast
this flower in its prime; old age will certainly wither it and
death and the grave consume it. But the fear of God reigning in the
heart is the beauty of the soul; it recommends those that have it
to the favour of God, and is, in his sight, of great price; it will
last for ever, and bid defiance to death itself, which consumes the
beauty of the body, but consummates the beauty of the soul.

III. The happiness of this virtuous
woman.

1. She has the comfort and satisfaction of
her virtue in her own mind (v.
25): Strength and honour are her clothing, in
which she wraps herself, that is, enjoys herself, and in which she
appears to the world, and so recommends herself. She enjoys a
firmness and constancy of mind, has spirit to bear up under the
many crosses and disappointments which even the wise and virtuous
must expect to meet with in this world; and this is her clothing,
for defence as well as decency. She deals honourably with all, and
she has the pleasure of doing so, and shall rejoice in time to
come; she shall reflect upon it with comfort, when she comes to
be old, that she was not idle or useless when she was young. In the
day of death it will be a pleasure to her to think that she has
lived to some good purpose. Nay, she shall rejoice in an
eternity to come; she shall be recompensed for her goodness
with fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore.

2. She is a great blessing to her
relations, v. 28.
(1.) Her children grow up in her place, and they
call her blessed. They give her their good word, they are
themselves a commendation to her, and they are ready to give great
commendations of her; they pray for her, and bless God that they
had such a good mother. It is a debt which they owe her, a part of
that honour which the fifth commandment requires to be paid to
father and mother; and it is a double honour that is due to a good
father and a good mother. (2.) Her husband thinks himself so
happy in her that he takes all occasions to speak well of her, as
one of the best of women. It is no indecency at all, but a laudable
instance of conjugal love, for husbands and wives to give one
another their due praises.

3. She gets the good word of all her
neighbours, as Ruth did, whom all the city of her people
knew to be a virtuous woman, Ruth iii. 11. Virtue will have its praise,
Phil. iv. 8. A woman that
fears the Lord, shall have praise of God (Rom. ii. 29) and of men too. It is here shown,
(1.) That she shall be highly praised (v. 29): Many have done
virtuously. Virtuous women, it seems, are precious jewels, but
not such rare jewels as was represented v. 10. There have been many, but such
a one as this cannot be paralleled. Who can find her equal?
She excels them all. Note, Those that are good should aim
and covet to excel in virtue. Many daughters, in their
father's house, and in the single state, have done virtuously,
but a good wife, if she be virtuous, excels them all,
and does more good in her place than they can do in theirs. Or, as
some explain it, A man cannot have his house so well kept by good
daughters, as by a good wife. (2.) That she shall be incontestably
praised, without contradiction, v. 31. Some are praised above what is
their due, but those that praise her do but give her of the
fruit of her hands; they give her that which she has dearly
earned and which is justly due to her; she is wronged if she have
it not. Note, Those ought to be praised the fruit of whose hands is
praise-worthy. The tree is known by its fruits, and therefore, if
the fruit be good, the tree must have our good word. If her
children be dutiful and respectful to her, and conduct themselves
as they ought, they then give her the fruit of her hands;
she reaps the benefit of all the care she has taken of them, and
thinks herself well paid. Children must thus study to requite
their parents, and this is showing piety at home,1 Tim. v. 4. But, if men be
unjust, the thing will speak itself, her own works will
praise her in the gates, openly before all the people. [1.]
She leaves it to her own works to praise her, and does not court
the applause of men. Those are none of the truly virtuous women
that love to hear themselves commended. [2.] Her own works
will praise her; if her relations and neighbours altogether
hold their peace, her good works will proclaim her praise. The
widows gave the best encomium of Dorcas when they showed the
coats and garments she had made for the poor, Acts ix. 39. [3.] The least that can
be expected from her neighbours is that they should let her own
works praise her, and do nothing to hinder them. Those that
do that which is good, let them have praise of the
same ( Rom. xiii. 3) and
let us not enviously say, or do, any thing to the diminishing of
it, but be provoked by it to a holy emulation. Let none have an ill
report from us, that have a good report even of the truth
itself. Thus is shut up this looking-glass for ladies, which
they are desired to open and dress themselves by; and, if they do
so, their adorning will be found to praise, and honour, and glory,
at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

Twenty chapters of the book of Proverbs
(beginning with ch. x. and ending with ch. xxix.),
consisting mostly of entire sentences in each verse, could not well
be reduced to proper heads, and the contents of them gathered; I
have therefore here put the contents of all these chapters
together, which perhaps may be of some use to those who desire to
see at once all that is said of any one head in these chapters.
Some of the verses, perhaps, I have not put under the same heads
that another would have put them under, but the most of them fall
(I hope) naturally enough to the places I have assigned them.